Birmingham
Birmingham has a rich heritage as a centre for jewellery manufacturing and trade, with its historic Jewellery Quarter still home to hundreds of workshops and businesses. For UK jewellers, wholesalers, and suppliers, the city remains a vital hub for production, design, and distribution. Jewellery Focus covers Birmingham’s role in the industry, from updates on local businesses and manufacturing trends to insights into policy developments and events shaping the trade. Our reporting helps professionals understand the city’s continuing influence on the UK jewellery sector.
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Jun- 2020 -4 JuneAppointments
Birmingham Assay office elects five new guardians
The Birmingham Assay office has announced the election of five new guardians of the standard of wrought plate. The raft of appointments include Simon Dawe, sales director of TH March, Kevin Saunders a regulatory and criminal barrister, David-Louis Hendley of Artfull Expression, alongside Russell Jeans CEO of Sefton Consulting and…
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May- 2020 -18 MayCoronavirus
Assay offices reopen following temporary closures
All four assay offices across the UK have now resumed assay services following their temporary closure in light of the ongoing pandemic. The British Hallmarking Council confirmed that opening hours and arrangements are now being “managed carefully in line with government advice to ensure the welfare of staff and the…
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7 MayCoronavirus
Birmingham Assay Office reopens gem lab amid Covid-19 pandemic
The Birmingham Assay Office has re-opened its gem lab and is now fully operational three days a week amid the Covid-19 crisis. Like many other businesses, the Birmingham Assay Office temporarily closed its doors on Tuesday 24 March for three weeks as stipulated by the government, but last month hallmarking…
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Apr- 2020 -17 AprilCoronavirus
Hallmarking falls by 35% as coronavirus impact hits
The extent to which the coronavirus outbreak has impacted UK hallmarking has been revealed as the latest figures show both the number of gold and silver pieces hallmarked during March fell by over 30% each. The number of gold and silver pieces hallmarked in March 2020 decreased by 32.3% and…
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Mar- 2020 -25 MarchCoronavirus
Assay offices close their doors
All four assay offices across the UK have closed their doors amid the coronavirus crisis. The assay offices, in Birmingham, Edinburgh, London and Sheffield, will now be closed for business for “at least” three weeks. In a statement, the British Hallmarking Council said: “The pandemic has caused many disruptions to…
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24 MarchCurrent Affairs
Birmingham Assay Office closes operations
The Birmingham Assay Office has announced that it will be “closing all operations” from today (24 March) for the three weeks stipulated by the government. The office said that the decision came in light of the Prime Minister’s lockdown announcement on Monday evening, and said that the move would “protect…
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20 MarchFeatures
Waste not, want not: the designers driving ethical change
Last month marked a watershed moment as Rosh Mahtini became the first ever jeweller to receive the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. Mahtini received the esteemed award based on her commitment to sustainability and ethical practices, exemplified by her innovative jewellery brand, Alighieri. As the first jewellery designer…
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19 MarchEconomy
Gold and silver down double digits in February hallmarking
The number of gold and silver pieces hallmarked in February 2020 decreased by 13.3% and 25.3% respectively, according to figures compiled by the Birmingham Assay Office. Gold hallmarked pieces decreased from 281,938 to 244,558 and silver items decreased from 344,104 to 257,212 during the month. Additionally, palladium decreased by 70.3%…
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4 MarchTips
Your Guide to Jewellery Hallmarks – What to Know
A piece of jewellery is one of the most priced possessions a person can have—they are precious and can be pretty expensive, with some even costing as much as a brand new car. It is only ideal that when you choose jewellery, whether for yourself or as a gift, you…
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Feb- 2020 -27 FebruaryEvents
Tom Rucker claims Cartier Award at GC&DA 2020
Jewellery designer Tom Rucker has been awarded the Jacques Cartier Memorial award at the 2020 Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship and Design Awards ceremony held on Monday (24 February). The award was presented to Rucker for his suite of coloured platinum jewellery, and is given at the discretion of the Goldsmiths’ Craft and…
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